Exercise Extreme Caution in: Spinal/epidural anesthesia (increased risk of spinal/epidural hematomas and their sequelae, especially when used with NSAIDs, platelet inhibitors, or other anticoagulants).

Potential Nursing Diagnoses

Implementation

Reconstitute each vial with 0.5 mL of diluent provided for a concentration of 15.75 mg of desirudin/0.5 mL. Shake vial gently until fully reconstituted to a clear colorless solution. Do not administer solutions that are discolored, cloudy, or contain a particulate matter. Reconstituted solution should be used immediately, but is stable for 24 hr at room temperature and protected from light. Discard unused solution.

Subcutaneous: Withdraw all reconstituted solution into syringe with a 26- or 27-gauge, 1/2-inch length needle. Inject entire contents subcutaneously which will deliver 15 mg. Patient should be sitting or lying down during administration. Rotate sites between left and right anterolateral and left and right posterolateral thigh or abdominal wall. Inject entire length of needle while pinching skin between thumb and forefinger; continue to pinch skin throughout injection. Do not rub injection site following injection to prevent bruising.

Syringe Incompatibility: Do not mix with other diluents or medications.

Patient/Family Teaching

Advise patient to report symptoms of unusual bleeding or bruising to health care professional immediately.

Instruct patient not to take aspirin, NSAIDs, or herbal products during therapy without consulting health care professional.

The safety profile of desirudin appears to be acceptable in many patients requiring deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis who may not be good candidates for heparin-based anticoagulation due to low platelet counts, renal impairment or other high risk features.

The DESIR-ABLE study provides important information about the safety of desirudin in a population of patients at high risk for complications from standard drugs used for DVT prophylaxis.

Desirudin was the first direct thrombin inhibitor (DTI) approved for DVT prophylaxis in Europe, where it has been available for over 10 years.

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.